Accounting mechanism



y 7, 1946- A. w. MILLS EIAL 2,399,755

I ACCOUNTING MECHANISM Filed April 1, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Z6 I r'|"- Z2 Z5 1 INVENTQR's ALBERT 11/. MIL/.5.

FRANK J. Fz/RMA/v.

. Eon'ww J RABENDA J mAT-TORNEY A. w. MILLS ET'AL 2,399,755

ACCOUNTING MECHANISM Filed April 1, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fire. 5'.

524 350 m 126 144 162 19s as 234 252 270 288 506 342 INVENTORS 40 4g ALBERT 114 44/443 FRANK J FuRMA/v EDWARD J RAEEA/DA WATTORNEY May 7,1946. A. w. MILLS ETAL ACCOUNTING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 1, 1944 INVENTORS Awaw' /4 M/us FRANK J. FUR/WAN FIG. 75;

EDWARD J XF'AaEA/DA I ATTGRNEY Patented May 7, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,399,755 ACCOUNTING MECHANISM York Application April 1, 1944, Serial No. 529,086

3 Claims.

A further object of the invention is to provide 7 improved control devices through which such entries may be made subtractively. To this end a novel system of recording has been devised utilizing only six index point positions in a column of the well known Hollerith record card to combinationaily record therein any of the digits.

Other objects of the-invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view showing the essential operating elements of one denominational section of the accumulator.

Fig. 2 is a section through the accumulator showing the improved interior construction.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail of the total readout device of the accumulator.

Fig. 5 is a time chart of the electrical circuit closing devices in the machine.

Fig. 6 is a fragment of the record card showing the novel designation position arrangement which enables direct control of the accumulator.

Figs. 7a and 7b taken together constitute a wiring diagram simplified to show only the elements and controls necessary for an understanding of the invention.

The dard The record card is shown in Fig. 6 divided into columns designated by lines I! and rows designated by lines II. The six horizontal lines H are given the values 0 to 5 and a digit is represented in a vertical column by a single perforation I! in corresponding numbered positions for the digits 0 to 5 and by a pair of perforations for the digits 6 to 9, with one of the pair of perforations being in the 5 position.

To represent a negative amount, a special designation I3 is made in the 0 position of a selected column.

The accumulator The shaft M (Fig. 1) is constantly rotating and one revolution thereof constitutes a so-called cycle of operation of the machine. This shaft it has secured thereto a gear 24 meshing with a gear 25 freely mounted on a post 26, and driven by gear 25 is a ratchet 21 (Fig. 3) which is axially movable but normally held in the position of Fig. 3 by a spring 28. Coaxial with driving ratchet '21 is a ratchet 29 which is part of the accumulating or adding element comprising toothed adding wheel 30 and tens carry cam 3| which are integral with a rod 32. Ratchet 21 may be rocked into engagement with ratchet 29 to drive the latter, and such rocking is efiected by a bevel disk 33 carried by a bell crank 34, which is normally latched in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by the armature 35 of a magnet 36 designated "in. When magnet 36 is energized, bell crank 34 is released and spring 31 will rock it to move disk 33 toward the axis of ratchet 21, thereby camming the ratchet 21 into driving engagement with the driven ratchet 29. Integral with gear 25 is a cam 38 (Fig. 2) provided with three spaced cam portions or lobes 39, each of which will eiiect uncoupling when it engages the nose of bell crank 34. This cam has been added to the prior adding mechanism and the time in the cycle of operations when the cam lobes 39 are effective is indicated in the diagram (Fig. 5).

Magnet 36 is energized at difierential times, i. e. one, two, three or four so-called cycle points (18 constitutes a cycle point) before the first cam lobe 39 effects uncoupling, so that the extent of advance of the adding wheel is dependent upon such time of energization of magnet 36. The carry cam 3| controls the usual tens'carry contacts comprising movable contact brush 40 (Fig. 4) and stationary blades II and 42 which function so that, whenever the wheel 30 passes from 9 to 0, member 43 is rocked clockwise and held by latch 44 to hold brush 40 in engagement with blade ll.

Whenever the wheel 39 stands at 9, a depression in the cam 3| will permit the member 43 to rock counterclockwise, thereby enabling brush 40 to rock clockwise and engage blade 42. The roller 45 is provided to release carry lever latch 44 at the end of the cycle.

The accumulator is also provided with a magnet III which, if energized after magnet 36 has eifected coupling of the ratchets, will cause disengagement thereof. When magnet 10 is energized, it attracts its armature II and releases a lever 12 pivoted at 13 so that spring 31 will rock the lever counterclockwise and a pin 15 thereon will strike the horizontal arm of bell crank 84 and rock the same clockwise into its uncoupling position. At a predetermined point in the cycle a pin 16 engages the left end of lever 12 to relatch it on armature H (see Fi 5).

Rod 82 (Fig. 4) has a pair of brushes 14 secured at one end, which cooperate with a set of spaced contact segments 85 and a common con-- ductor 86 so that, when the accumulating wheel is positioned to represent any of the digits, one of the brushes 14 contacts the segment 85 related, to that digit, and the other contacts the conductor 86.

In the operation of the machine, the several denominationally ordered wheels 88, 8| initially stand at 9 and, when a resetting operation is efiected, the wheels are advanced from whatever position they may occupy to such 9 position as will be explained later. In other words, true values are represented in the accumulator by a 9's complement setting and, when an amount is to be added, a subtracting operation is in effect carried out. With such arrangement total printing and resetting of the accumulator can be effected in a single cycle of operation with a digit being printed and the related accumulator reset with a singl electrical impulse. 'I'he circuits and timing are explained hereinafter under the headings Resetting operation and Total printing. To simplify the disclosure, it is assumed that the balance in the accumulator represents a positive amount at all times and that no negative balance occurs.

Card sensing devices-In Fig. 7a there is represented the card sensing device which comprises columns and rows of brushes 45 arranged to correspond to the spacing of the hole positions on E. A card to be sensed is positioned beneath the.

brushes and, where a hole occurs in a to 4 line, contact is made through the hole with one of the common conductors 46. Where a hole occurs in a position, contact is made with a separate segment 41. With a card in place, card lever contacts 52 and 69 are closed by the card.

The card sensing devices are thus diagrammatically represented as a stationary set of columns oi brushes between which the card may be manually inserted for sensing thereof, at rest,

and when so inserted the hole posltionswill correspond with related sensing brushes. For automatic successive card feedin .a card feeding mechanism such as is shown in Peirce Patent 1,926,882 may be employed to advance a card to the sensing brushes for each cycle of operation and hold it in position. for a portion oi. a cycle.

Adding operation-Let it be assumed that a column of the card contains a 2 perforation in the column sensed by the right hand row of brushes 45 and a 0 perforation in the other two columns. As stated, the accumulator stands at 999 initially and through the circuits now to be traced the value 998 (tens-complement of 2) will in eflect be added thereto and leave the accumulator standing at 997, which is the 9's complement of 2.

With the card in place, the machine is Sent through a cycle represented by a revolution of shaft l4, upon which shaft are mounted several circuit closing cams and distributors whose timing is shown in Fig, 5. At the beginning of the cycle-a circuit is traceable from positive line 5| (Fig. 1a), contacts Cla, card lever contacts 68,

, contacts C4l, upper contacts R311, wire 6| (Fig.

7b), relays RI and R4, wire 62 to negative line 59. At the same time there is a circuit traceable from line 5| (Fig. 7b), contacts 039, relay R5, wire 62 to line 59. Relay R5 closes its contacts R50 so that the circuit previously traced to wire 61 extends through contacts RM to energize relay R6 in parallel with relays RI and R4.

When contacts 05a now, close shortly after the beginning of the cycle, there is a circuit completed from line 5|, contacts 05a, wire 64, all left hand contacts R6a (now closed due to energization of relay R6), and all in magnets 36 to line 59. As a result, all the accumulator wheels are coupled to their driving ratchets and all commence to turn. Brush 50 of an emitter E (Fig. 7a) contacts segments 49 at times indicated in Fig.5 and, for the units card column in which there'isa2periorated, a circuit will be completed after the unitslwiheel has advanced two steps, which circuit is traceable from line 5|, contacts 04, 52, brush 58, the 2, 7 segment 49, the 2 wire 48, brush 45 in the right handcolumn. the 2 hole in the card, conductor 46, wire 53, brushes 3 and 2 of a distributor Cl (see Fig. 5 which indicates that brushes 2 and 3 of distributor Cl are electrically connected at this time), plug socket 54, connection 55 (Fig. 7b), socket 56, contacts Rla (closed due to prior energization of relay RI), right hand contacts R2a, wire 51, brushes I and 3 of distributor C3 (see Fi 5), wire 58, contacts R62) (now closed), the "out magnet 10 to line 59. This causes uncoupling of the units order wheel after it has made two steps of rotation.

In the two higher orders, similar circuits are completed two steps later when brush 58 contacts the 0 segment 49, so that in these two higher orders uncoupling is effected after four steps of advance. The punchingof zeros in these higher orders is not essential and may be omitted, since at -the time of completion of the circuits just traced the first lobe 39 of cam 98 (Fig. 5) will efiect positive mechanical uncoupling. Therefore, at this point in the cycle the three accumulator wheels will have been advanced from a setting of 999 to 33L Cam contacts C99 opento deenergize relay R5, and as a result relay R6 also deenergizes and its contacts RM and R6?) shift back to their normal positions.

Later, when contacts Cl5 close (see Fig. 5),

parallel circuits are completed from line 5! (Fig. 7b), contacts CI5, wire 66, contacts R4a (still closed), right hand contacts Rlb, brushes 4 and 3 of distributor C3, wires 58, right hand contacts R611 and in magnets 86 to line 59. All the accumulator wheels thus are again coupled for driving, and after five steps of movement the second lobe 39 of cam 38 (Fig. 5) effects mechanical uncoupling with the wheels now advanced from 58! to 666.

It will be recalled that all wheels initially stood at 9 and, since all have now advanced through zero, all the carry brushes 49 are latched in contact with their tens contacts 4|. Thereiore, at carry time when contacts CII (Fig. 7b) close, a circuit is completed from line II, contacts CII, wire 61, all the tens contacts 4|, brushes 4. and contacts C40 (closed at this time) to magnets 36 in the next higher order in the case of the units and tends orders. In the highest order the circuit extends from brush 4|, through wire 88, contacts C44 to magnet 38 in the lowest order. Thus, all accumulating wheels are again coupled and after one step the third lobe 39 of cam 38 effects uncoupling, leaving all wheels advanced one step from 886 to 997, which is the 9s complement of the 2 which is added.

Briefly, when the digit 2 is added to the initial setting of 999 for the example under consideration, a 2, a 5 and a 1 are entered in succession; when the digit 1 is added, a 3, a 5, and a 1 are entered in succession; when the digit 3 is added, a. 1, a 5 and a 1 are entered in succession; and when a 4 is added, only a 5 and a 1 are entered, since in the last case the circuit through the 4, 9 segment 49 occurs simultaneously with the circuit through contacts Cla, so that magnets I! and 'II are energized together and coupling is not eflected.

For the digits 5 to 9, the operation is the same with the exception that the operation of adding 5 through contact C I 5 is omitted. This is brought about as follows. At the very beginning of the cycle, the 5- hole is sensed when brush It of emitter E contacts the 5 segment 4| and a circuit is completed from line SI, contacts C4, 52, brush II, 5 segment 49, wide 4!, brush 4|, 5 hole, segment 41, wire 69, brushes I and 2 of distributor CI (Fig. 5), socket 154, connection 55 (Fig. 7b), socket 58, contacts RIa, R2a (right), wire 61, brushes I and 2 of emitter C3, a winding oi! relay R1, and wire 11 to line 5!. Relay R1 closes its contacts R111 to provide a holding circuit from 'line II, contacts C31, contacts RIa, a second winding of relay R1 and wire 'I! to line 59, This shifts contacts Rlb so that, when contacts Cll close (while relay R1 is still energized) no circuit is completed at that time.

All the magnets 34 are energized concurrently with the contacting of the 4 segment 4' and disengagement occurs when a 4, 3, 2, 1 or hole is sensed and, it no such hole is present, disengagement occurs mechanically after four steps of movement as bei'ore. Briefly, when the digit is added, a 4 and a 1 are entered in succession; when the digit 6 is added, a 3 and a 1 are entered in succession; when the digit '7 is entered, a 2 and a l are entered in succession; when a .8 is entered, a l and a 1 are entered in succession; when a 9 is entered, a 0 and a 1 are entered in succession. Through the circuit arrangement disclosed, it follows, therefore, that with the accurfiulator initially standing at 9 in all orders (which is the 9's complement of zero) an amoimt is added by entering the 10's complement thereof in increments and the sum or result is manirested in the iormoi the 9's complement oi such sum. Briefly, the adding of a 9's complement to a 9's complement standing in the accumulator will cause a carry fromthe highest to the lowest order to add a fugitive one thereto and change the added value to' a 10; complement. In the particular example where the initial setting invalues. the 10s carries will be efiected in accordance with such carry requirements, but the fugitive one entry from highest to lowest order will take place for each amount added in the form 01a complement.

Subtracting operation.--When the card contains an amount to be subtracted, the special hole I3 (Fig. 6) is present and this hole is sensed by 0 brush 48a (Fig. 7a) to complete a circuit from line Iii, brush 45a, hole in the card, relay R3 to line It. Relay R3 shifts its contacts RM so that at the beginning of the cycle there is a circuit from line 5|, contacts 01a, 60, CH, lower contacts Ria, wire I! (Fig. 7b), and relay R8, wire .2, to line Bl. A parallel circuit extends through contacts Rlb (right) to relay R9, wire 82 to line 5!. Relay R0 closes its contacts R9b (left) before the right hand contacts open to establish a holding circuit through contacts C31.

Nowas the 4 to 0 holes are sensed, circuit are completed to directly energize the magnets 36, of which the following is representative: from line II (Fig. 7a), contacts C4, 52, brush it), 4 segment 4!, wire 43, 4 brush 4!, 4 hole, conductors 4|, wire 83, brushes 3 and 2 of distributor CI, socket I4, connection (Fig. 7b), socket 55, contacts Rta, R2a (right), wire 51, brushe I and 3 of distributor C3, wire 58, contacts RGa (right) and magnet 38 to line 59. At 0 time (Fig. 5),

mechanical declutching takes place and the wheel is advanced a number of steps equal to its value 4 to 0. where a 5 hole appears in the digit combination, an additional 5 is added as follows.

At the beginning of the cycle a circuit is traceable from line II, contacts C4, 52, brush 50, 5 segment 49, 5 wire 48, 5 brush 45, 5 hole, segment 41, wire 69, brushes I and 2 of distributor CI, socket l4, connection 55, socket 56, contacts RM, RM (right), wire 51, brushes I and 2 of distributor C3 and relay RI, wire '11, to line 58. Relay R1 i held as before and, when contacts CI5 cl0se. a circuit is completed five steps before the second mechanical uncoupling, traceable from line 5|, contacts CI5, wire 66, contacts Rila (now closed), RIb (left), brushes 4 and 3 of distributor 03 (Fig. 5), wire 58, contact RIia (right), and magnet to line 53. At tens carry time as before, a unit is entered in appropriate orders.

Briefly, when the digit 1 is subtracted, a 1 is added; when the digit ,2 is subtracted, a 2 is added; when the digit 3 is subtracted, a 3 is added; when the digit 4 is subtracted, a 4 is added; when the digit 5' is subtracted, a 5 is added; when the digit 6 is subtracted, a 1 and a 5 are added; when the digit 7 is subtracted, a 2 and a 5 are added; when the digit 8 is subtracted, a 3 and a 5 are added; when the digit 9 is subtracted, a 4 and a 5 are added. Thus, for an initial setting of, say, 234 representing the amount 765, subtraction of about 123 will cause 123 to be added to 234, leaving 357 standing in the accumulator to represent the diiierence 642.

Print controlling circuits.-In our copending application Serial No. 515,373, filed December 23, 1943, there is disclosed a printing mechanism of through a connection 42, will cause positioning volved 9's in all orders. a tens carry occurred into all orders higher than units and the units order received the fugitive one entry from the highest order carry contacts. In other cases where the complement may represent diilerent which the controlling circuits are shown in the lower left hand corner of Fig. 7a. These include a pair of magnets II and BI which when energized through circuits branching from socket 54 of type bars. Inasmuch as the details of such print mechanism are not necessary to an understanding of the present invention, they are not shown herein. Sumce it to state that magnet 8| 7 is energized in response to the sensing of holes in 9 position, if they are not already in such position, and is effected by sending the machine through asingle cycle of operation after sets of switches 81 and 88 (Figa'la) and switch 89 (Fig. 7b) have been shifted from the positions shown. Upon closure of switch 89, relay R18 becomes energized through contacts C23 and closes its contacts RIM and Rlllb, the former of which establish a holding circuit through contacts C21 and the latter of which cause energization of relay R2, so that contacts R21: are now shifted to connect wires 51 with wires 90 extending to th common conductors 88 (Fig. 7a)

The brushes H of the accumulator readout device will, of course, have been difierentially positioned to connect related conductors 88 with the individual segments 85 corresponding to the digits standing in the accumulator. These se ments 85 are connected through wires 8| with cam contacts C5 to C9 and C14 and to contacts Rlla of a relay Rll. At the beginning of the cycle, cam contacts C38 energize relay RN to shift the contacts RI la momentarily at the time contacts Cll are closed. This is for the purpose of ascertaining if there is a to 4 setting on any brush ll.

Let it be assumed that there is a 1 setting in the unit order. Then, there will be a circuit traceable from line contacts CH, 1 contacts Rlla (lower), 1 segment 85, brush H, common 86, uppermost wire 80' (Fig. 7b). contacts R2a (left), wire 51, brush l' and 2 of distributor C8, and relay R1 to wire 11 and line 58. Energization of relay R! as already explained will cause a 5 to be added later in the cycle. The circuit for adding 5 goes through contacts CIS and R911 as before and requires that contacts R8a be closed as a preliminary. For this purpose, key contacts R are provided to initially energize relay R8 and contacts C31 will hold it energized until after the 5 entry circuit is effective. In the meantime, when contacts CS close (Fig. 7a), a circuit is completed from line 5|, contacts C6, the 1 contacts Rlla (upper), the 1 segment 85, brush 14; common 86, uppermost wire 90 (Fig. 7b), contacts R2a (left), wire 51, brushes I and 3 of distributor C3, wire 58, contact RSa (right) and magnet 36 to line 58. This circuit i timed to cause the entry of a 3 in the units order to advance it from 1 to 4 and the later addition of 5 will advance it to 9.

From inspection of Figs. 5 and 7a, it will be apparent that for digits 0 to 4 the same circuit is completed to cause a 5 to be added latenand in the case of a 4 setting a 0 is first entered; in the case of a 3 setting a l is first entered; in the case of a 2 setting a 2 is first entered; in the case of a 1 setting a3 is first entered; in the case of a 0 setting a 4 is first entered.

Where the digital setting is 5 to 8, the extra 5 is not added in and for a 5 setting a 4 is directly entered; for a 6 setting a 3 is directly eniered; for a 7 setting a 2 is directly entered; for an 8 setting a 1 is direc..y entered.

Thus, during a cycle of operation all wheels are advanced to 9 in readiness for iurther adding and subtracting operations.

Total printiny.-With switches 81 (Fig. 7a)

switch 81, a plug connection 92, shifted switch 88, distributor C2 to magnets and 8|. Due to the time of completion of the circuits for the various settings of brushes I4, these magnets will be energized in the same manner as though the true digital value were sensed in a. card column. For example, a setting of a. brush 14 at 6 will send an impulse to magnet 80 at the same time as the sensing of a 3 hole in a card column. A

setting of a brush '14 at 1 will send impulses to the magnets 8| and 80 at the same time as the sensing of a 5 and a 3 hole to print an 8.

For the sake of simplification-oi the disclosure, the machine is shown as a single cycle device but it will be apparent that continuous card feeding may be employed by providing mechanism for bringing record cards in succession to the sensing brushes and holding them in position during the period that contacts C4 (Fig. 15) close. In such case, the C cams and emitter E would rotate continuously making one revolution for each card fed and sensed.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cyclically operable machine of the class described, means for sensing a record card, said card having a column of index point positions, one for each of the digits 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and 0, in which positions the significant digits 0 to 5 are represented by designations made in the corresponding positions and in which the digits 6 to 9 are represented by a designation in the 5 position accompanied by a second designation in a position whose value added to 5 equals the digit to be designated, an accumulator including a plurality of ordered accumulating elements, each settable to represent all the digits and normally set to represent the digit 9 driving means, an adding clutch mechanism for each element for coupling said element to the driving means, a first uncoupling means, a second uncoupling means, cyclically operable means for concurrently operating the adding clutch mechanisms, means controlled by said sensing means in response to sensing designations in the 0 to 4 index point positions for causing said second uncoupling means to operate after the related element has advanced an amount representing the addition of the difference between the designation value and 4, a second cyclically operable means for causing a second operation of the adding clutch mechanisms at a time so that said first uncoupling means will cause uncoupling after a 5 has been added, means controlled by said sensing means when a designation is sensed in the 5 index point position of a column for disabling the second cyclically operable means to prevent the second operation of the adding clutch mechanism in the related order, a third uncoupling means and tens carry devices between successive orders and between the highest and lowest orders, said highest to lowest order carry device causing a iurther operation of the adding clutch closed, all circuits to wires 88 branch thro h 76 mechanism at a time so that said third uncoupling means will operate toadd a 'unit in the lowest order element.

2. In pa cyclically operable machine of the class described, means for sensing a record card, said card having a column'of index point positions,

one for each of the digits 5, 4, 3, 2, l and 0, in

which positions the significant digits 0 to 5 are represented by designations made in the corresponding positions and in which the digits 6 to 9 are represented by a designation in the 5 position accompanied by a second designation in a position whose value added to 5 equals the digit.

ther means in the related ordered element,

means controlled by said sensing means upon sensing a designation in the 1 to 4 index point positions for superseding the operation of said first named cyclically operable means to cause addition of an amount in the related element equal to the diflerence between the value of the designated position and 4, and tens carry mechanlsm between successive orders and between the highest and lowest orders, said highest to lowest order carry mechanism being eflective for adding a unit in the lowest order element, whereby the accumulator will represent the 9's complement of the sum of the amount sensed in the record card and the initial entry in the accumulator.

3. A resetting mechanism for an accumulator having denominational order elements which are all positionable to represent 9 when reset, comprising devices positionable by the elements to represent an entry in the accumulator, circuit connections, means controlled by each positionable device when set to represent one of the digits for controlling the completion of said circuit connections at differential times in accordance with said entries, means included in said circuit connections for differentially initiating an advance of the accumulating elements or each order, devices for interrupting the advance of any element when it reaches a 9 or a 4 setting, and further means controlled by each positionable device when set to represent one of the digits 0 to 4 for controlling the completion of the said circuit connections a second time, concurrently, said interrupting devices interrupting said second advance when any readvanced element reaches a 9 setting, whereby initial settings 01' 5 to 8 are advanced to 9 and initial settings of 0 to 4 are first advanced to 4 and thereafter readvanced to 9.

ALBERT W. MILLS. FRANK J. FURMAN. EDWARD J. RABENDA. 

